Empty Improved Job Case

This U.S. case configuration is that shown in Barnhart Bros & Spindler, Pony Specimen, 1893 and Book of Type Specimens No.9, 1907, and American Type Founders, Specimen of Wood Type and Catalogue of Printers Wood Goods, 1893 and Illustrated Catalogue and Price List of Printing Machinery and Supplies, Wood Goods and Wood Type, Fine Printing Inks, 1897 and Desk Book of Type and Printing Materials, 1900 and American Line Type Book, 1906, and Bruce Type Foundry, Handy Book of Printing Types, c.1899, and Hamilton Manufacturing Company, Modern Cabinets, Furniture and Materials for Printers, Catalog 14 (c.1907) and also Hamilton (n.d.) in Long, Wood Type and Printing Collectibles, 1980. It is shown in Palmer and Rey, Type Specimen Book, 1892, as the Middletown Job, and in American Type Founders (Central), Blue Book, 1895, as the Chicago Improved Job. The case is effectively an Upper and Lower combined, and was intended for a complete (but small) fount of caps, small caps and lower case. BB&S hoped it would replace the (pairs of) Three Quarter News cases. The actual lay is shown as Improved Job. The English Complete Roman case is identical, but presumably is the English rather than U.S. size, ie shallower, but slightly wider.